NEW RELEASES: GAL COSTA; PEGGY LIPTON - THE COMPLETE ODE RECORDINGS; GENE CHANDLER - THE TWO SIDES OF GENE CHANDLER

GAL COSTA: GAL COSTA

A landmark Tropicalia album from Gal Costa—set to arrangements from the legendary Rogerio Duprat, and featuring songs by Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Jorge Ben (with musical contributions by both Veloso and Gil)!  Costa is light years beyond her earlier bossa material, and emerges here as a powerful vocalist who deftly straddles jazz and psychedelia, electronic and acoustic settings, and all the other criss-crossed styles that make up the Tropicalia polyglot. This Real Gone Music/Dusty Groove reissue of this classic record from 1969 features new liner notes by Peter Margasak. A cornerstone of any Tropicalia collection!

Tracklist: Nao Identificado, Sebastiana featuring Gilberto Gil, Lost in the Paradise, Namorinho De Portao featuring Gilberto Gil, Saudosismo, Se Voce Pensa, Vou Recomecar, Divino, Maravilhoso, Que Pena (Ele Ja Nao Gosta Mais De Mim) featuring Caetano Veloso, Baby featuring Caetano Veloso, A Coisa Mais Linda Que Existe, and Deus E o Amor.

PEGGY LIPTON - THE COMPLETE ODE RECORDINGS

Model-turned-actress Peggy Lipton was (and is) one of the great beauties of her generation, and in her role as flower child Julie Barnes on The Mod Squad, became the “It Girl” during the show’s late ‘60s and early ‘70s run. The same year (1968) that she premiered on the show, Peggy also unveiled her formidable singing talent on a self-titled album produced by Lou Adler and released on his Ode record label. The album yielded a charting single in “Stoney End” and led to some other “Bubbling Under” non-album single releases for Ode including evocative covers of Laura Nyro’s “Lu” and Donovan’s “Wear Your Love Like Heaven” plus a collaboration with writer-producer Jimmy Webb on his song “Red Clay County Line” – all of which we’ve collected on Peggy Lipton: The Complete Ode Recordings, which features everything she released on the label plus an unreleased track, a version of Brian Wilson’s “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times.” Our Real Gone reissue of this lost gem (which has only come out on CD in Japan as a straight album reissue without the bonus tracks) replicates the original album’s gatefold art with wallet packaging that includes a booklet displaying rare photos and single picture sleeves, with notes by Joe Marchese. An earful and an eye-ful from the multitalented Ms. Lipton! Track include: Let Me Pass By, A Natural Woman, Memories of a Golden Weekend (or How I Got the Acapulco Blues), San Francisco Glide, Stoney End, Who Needs It, Hands Off the Man, It Might as Well Rain until September, Wasn’t It You, Lady of the Lake, Honey Won’t Let Me, Bonus Tracks: Red Clay County Line, Just a Little Lovin’, Lu, Wear Your Love Like Heaven, I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times (Unreleased).

GENE CHANDLER - THE TWO SIDES OF GENE CHANDLER

A fantastic lost album by the great Gene Chandler – and one of his most sophisticated soul documents! The record was Gene's last album for Brunswick – issued shortly before Gene scored big once again on Mercury, which is why it's probably often lost in the shuffle of time. The record's got some incredibly dark material that shows a different side of Gene than you'd expect from earlier hits – including the incredible track "Suicide", which is a magnificent "Iceman" track in the Chicago tradition, that features the main character contemplating suicide as a means of dealing with his sorrow. Other titles include "If You Would Love Me", "The Sun Died", "This Bitter Earth", "Eleanor Rigby", and a remake of "Can I Change My Mind". ~ Dusty Groove

RALPH PETERSON - ALIVE AT FIREHOUSE 12 VOL. 2: FO'N MO'

Ralph Peterson has done it again with a second volume of his continuing recordings at Firehouse 12, the New Haven, CT jazz club which has made an undeniable impact on the east coast jazz scene. With ALIVE at Firehouse 12 - Volume 2: Fo' n Mo', Peterson continues to illustrate his mastery with a new edition of Fo'tet players (and some very special guests, hence the Fo' n Mo' subtitle) who simply burn from note one.

"This is an excellent snapshot of the evolution of this band," says Peterson. "I'm focused on trying to develop fresh ideas in music as well as collaborate with and highlight new and established players. Reconnecting with former OTB/Fo'tet bandmate and friend Steve Wilson, whose soprano approach has always been among my favorites in music since hearing him first over 20 years ago." Peterson's Berklee colleague, percussionist Eguie Castrillo, works marvelously with Peterson's dense yet sensitive rhythmic comping. Felix Peikli on clarinet and bass clarinet, vibraphonist Joseph Doubleday and bassist Alex Claffy all bring youthful fire to the music. Being a launch pad for new talent, Peterson, in his own voice, embodies a tradition of apprenticeship much like his beloved mentor Art Blakey.

Like most Peterson recordings, the opening salvo is always incendiary. Featuring witty and inventive solos by Doubleday, Pekli, and Wilson, Chick Corea's "Humpty Dumpty" sets the stage for action. Wilson and Doubleday continue to shine with the Billy Strayhorn classic "Chelsea Bridge," with Wilson stating the classic theme straight up and down, which is complimentary to the Stevie Wonder classic "Overjoyed."

"Tears I Cannot Hide" is a Peterson composition originally recorded on his 2002 quintet release Subliminal Seduction. On this new version, the tune is now an Afro-Cuban chant that is both magisterial and haunting with Castrillo's intro creating the mood and groove."Lady in Black" will remind listeners of what a great groove should sound like in modern jazz with the theme evoking a Sunday afternoon at the park with the one you love.

On Bud Powell's "Celia," Castrillo and Doubleday set up the groove with Peterson, Claffy, while Pekli unleashes the first solo that shows his dexterity and power. Wilson's solo shows his level of mastery and his ingenuity inside the rhythm section's Afro-Cuban blast furnace. The set ends with a burning version of Thelonious Monk's "Skippy" where Wilson and Peikli engage in a tour de force reminiscent of The Eternal Triangle and the entire group takes the tune to great new heights.

ALIVE at Firehouse 12 - Vol. 2: Fo' n Mo' is Peterson's 18th record as leader and the level of performance rivals any record the drummer/composer/educator has appeared on in the last 25 years. It is a follow up to ALIVE at Firehouse 12 - Vol. 1: The Unity Project recorded a little over a year ago. In that version of the band, Peterson featured veteran Craig Handy on tenor and soprano saxophone along with Josh Evans on trumpet. Staying true to the Messenger spirit, Peterson also unleashed yet another dynamic young talent in the person of Jake Sherman on Hammond organ. The live record format accurately captures the tremendous energy of his bands, which has become a signature brand of the drummer/composer/arranger/bandleader.

Peterson also remains in high demand as an educator, leading workshops and clinics with the support of his endorsers Mapex Drums, Meinl Cymbals, Evans Drumheads and Vic Firth Stick and Brushes. Peterson is now at the intersection where his influence on modern jazz is undeniable and constant. He is at the apex of his power as a drummer, bandleader, teacher and mentor. With the release of this new recording, Peterson is delivering the goods every time he gets on a bandstand with like-minded musicians. Yes, it is easy to say that Ralph Peterson is ALIVE and pushing the collective envelope every chance he gets.

Upcoming Ralph Peterson Performances:

June 11 - 13 / Zinc Bar / New York, NY

June 21 / Bushnell Park / Hartford, CT

July 27 / Greater Hartford Jazz Festival / Hartford, CT

Ralph Peterson · ALIVE at Firehouse 12 - Volume 2: Fo' n Mo' / Onyx Music  · Release Date: June 10, 2014 

RalphPetersonMusic.com

LULU: THE ATCO SESSIONS 1969-1972 (2-CD SET)

Atco/Atlantic had struck artistic and commercial gold when they brought Dusty Springfield to the States to record with Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd and topnotch Southern session musicians, so it made sense for the label to introduce another great British pop-soul singer, Lulu, to the same stellar production team. And Lulu, who had just married Bee Gee (and Atco label-mate) Maurice Gibb, didn’t need much convincing given the success of Dusty in Memphis. 

The result was two overlooked classics: New Routes paired the Scottish singer with the classic Muscle Shoals session squad of Barry Beckett, David Hood, Roger Hawkins and Jimmy Johnson, with Eddie Hinton, Cornell Dupree and Duane Allman all sitting in on guitar.  And Melody Fair, which also came out in 1970, retained the same production team but moved the sessions to Miami with the Dixie Flyers the back-up band. 

Those two albums comprise disc one of this two-disc set; the other disc features almost an album’s worth of unreleased material produced by Dowd, plus alternate takes, the great single “It Takes a Real Man (to Bring Out the Woman in Me)”/”You Ain’t Wrong You Just Ain’t Right” and other stray tracks. Real Gone’s reissue of this compilation (which came and went in a heartbeat in the U,K. about seven years ago and sells for a queenly sum) includes new liner notes by Richie Unterberger;. it’s a fascinating look at forgotten phase in the career of one of the British Invasion’s leading female figures.

Disc One

New Routes: 1. Marley Purt Drive / 2. In the Morning / 3. People in Love / 4. After All (I Live My Life) / 5. Feelin’ Alright / 6. Dirty Old Man / 7. Oh Me Oh My (I’m a Fool for You Baby) / 8. Is That You Love / 9. Mr. Bojangles / 10. Where’s Eddie / 11. Sweep Around Your Own Back Door

Melody Fair: 12.Good Day Sunshine / 13. After the Feeling Is Gone /  14. I Don’t Care Anymore / 15 (Don’t Go) Please Stay / 16. Melody Fair / 17. Take Good Care of Yourself / 18. Vine Street / 19 Move to My Rhythm / 20. To the Other Woman (I’m the Other Woman) / 21. Hum a Song (from Your Heart) / 22. Sweet Memories / 23. Saved

Disc Two

1. Bury Me Down by the River / 2. Got to Believe in Love / 3. Jokers Wild / 4. Come Down in Time / 5. Everybody’s Got to Clap / 6. Back Home / 7. Things Are Getting Better / 8. Love Song / 9. Goodbye My Love, Goodbye with the Dixie Flyers / 10. It Takes a Real Man (to Bring Out the Woman in Me) / 11. You Ain’t Wrong You Just Ain’t Right / 12. Even If I Could Change / 13. Hum a Song (from Your Heart) (Session Version) / 14. I Don’t Care Anymore (Early Mix) / 15. I Got to Believe in Love (Early Version) / 16. Povera Me (Oh Me Oh My)

 

PREMIERES & RARE COLLABORATIONS AT BLUE NOTE JAZZ CLUB - JUNE 2014

Blue Note Jazz Club, one of the world's most iconic jazz and blues venues based in Greenwich Village, is proud to announce its June 2014 schedule. All June performances at Blue Note Jazz Club will be featured as part of the fourth annual, 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival, scheduled to take place Sunday, June 1 through Monday, June 30 (with over 150 performances at more than 15 venues throughout New York City). 

Festival highlights at Blue Note Jazz Club include a collection of premieres and rare collaborations, including the world premiere of André Previn & Christian McBride (produced by Jill Newman Productions); the U.S. premiere of "Children Of The Light Trio" featuring Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, and Brian Blade; the New York City premiere of Michel Camilo Solo Piano, music his the album What's Up?; Ramsey Lewis Electric with Philip Bailey (of Earth, Wind & Fire); Lou Donaldson featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith; Beka & DJ Logic featuring Victor Bailey & Friends; The Dizzy Gillespie™ Afro Cuban Experience featuring Machito, Jr.; Hiromi: The Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson & Simon Phillips - Album Release; Gato Barbieri, and many more.

 

JUNE 2014 ARTIST SCHEDULE

8:00PM & 10:30PM shows each night, unless otherwise noted.

Doors open at 6:00pm. $5 minimum.

Tuesday - Sunday, May 27 - June 1

Joe Lovano's Village Rhythms Band

Saxophonist Joe Lovano kicks off Blue Note Jazz Club's June schedule and the 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival presenting the Village Rhythms Band, his latest project. At Cleveland's infamous "Togo Suite," a then 28-year old Lovano met and performed with a group of Nigerian musicians involved in an impromptu and joyous cultural exchange. About one year later on his 29th birthday in 1981, as a result of that initial late night club session, Lovano found himself in Lagos, Nigeria, meeting and spending time with the esteemed godfather of the afro-beat movement - Fela Kuti. The meeting of Kuti and his extended family of musicians led to a performance with the Cleveland and Nigerian musicians joined together in "Tafawa Balewa Square." The entire experience of performing with Kuti and his family left Lovano with a lasting feeling that still touches him to this day, and a new sense of possibilities within his own music - in all aspects of the sonic palette. Over three decades later, one of the most prominent voices in jazz, looks back to a historic musical landmark in his life and brings it into his own evolving musical vernacular. Joined by guitarist Liberty Ellman, electric bassist Matthew Garrison, percussionist/African harpist Abdou Mboup, and drummer Otis Brown III, with guests, vocalist Judi Silvano and trumpeter  Tim Hagans; "The Village Rhythm Band" showcases the linear relationship between West African music and jazz in a way that is totally unique to Lovano's voice - warm, sinuous, and constantly moving over an emphatic pulse.

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

  

Monday, June 2

Albare

A virtuoso jazz guitarist with a strong melodic sense and a wealth of global influences, Albare will make his Blue Note debut with a one-night only engagement as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Born in Morocco and raised in Israel and France, Albare - the nom de guerre of Albert Dadon - first worked as a musician in Paris, before emigrating to Australia at the age of 27. He is not only well known as a jazz musician but has maintained a highly successful career as one of Australia's most prominent businessmen. He directed the Melbourne Jazz Festival for many years and served as chairman of the Australian Jazz Awards. In 2008 he received the Order of Australia for his service to the arts. He currently lives in Melbourne but travels constantly. His latest album, Long Way, was released on enja Records in October 2012.

Music Charge: $10 - Bar, $20 - Table

Tuesday - Wednesday, June 3-4

The Dizzy Gillespie™ Afro Cuban Experience Featuring Machito, Jr.

In the early 1940s, Afro-Cuban jazz first emerged when Cuban musicians Frank "Machito" Grillo and Mario Bauzá formed Machito & His Afro-Cubans. Several years later, in 1947, Bauzá introduced Dizzy Gillespie to Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo, further developing Afro-Cuban jazz. Early combinations of jazz with Cuban music, such as Gillespie's and Pozo's "Manteca" and Charlie Parker's and Machito's "Mangó Mangüé," were commonly referred to as "Cubop," short for Cuban bebop. Gillespie loved the substyle so much that in 1975, he invited Machito and Machito's son, Mario Grillo (aka Machito, Jr.), to join his band for the recording of Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods. In 2014, almost 40 years later, Machito, Jr. reunites with the Gillespie legacy, joining The Dizzy Gillespie™ Afro Cuban Experience (under the direction of John Lee, Gillespie's longtime bassist and leader of the various Dizzy Gillespie bands, including The Dizzy Gillespie™ Big Band and Quintet).

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Thursday, June 5

Beka & DJ Logic Featuring Victor Bailey & Friends

In the Summer of 2011 at the Black Sea Jazz Festival, piano prodigy Beka Gochiashvili met with an innovative turntablist and kindred spirit, Bronx-native Jason Kibler a.k.a. DJ Logic and his band members at Batumi, Georgia's Club Take Five. During jam sessions in the club, a musical chemistry quickly developed between them and they decided to form this band.  In addition to Beka (now just 18 years old) and DJ Logic, the band features renowned electric bassist Victor Bailey with vocalist Butterscotch, adventurous keyboardist James Hurt, alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, and drummer Justin Tyson. Beka, Logic and friends perform in support of their debut album, Chillin' in Batumi (released in September 2013).

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $30 - Table

Friday - Sunday, June 6-8

André Previn & Christian McBride

Produced by Jill Newman Productions

Blue Note Jazz Festival and Jill Newman Productions are proud to present the highly anticipated world premiere collaboration of celebrated pianist André Previn and prolific bassist Christian McBride - in duo. While Previn and McBride will unite for the first time at Blue Note Jazz Club (a project that was conceived by Jill Newman and Mr. Previn), both have extensively explored the duo format in recent years, respectively. Previn enjoys a longstanding collaboration with bassist David Finck, having released a handful of albums, as well as performing at Blue Note Jazz Club in 2011 (Jill Newman Productions). McBride released Conversations with Christian in 2011, on which he documented a duet apiece with 13 of his closest musical friends and cohorts (ranging from Angélique Kidjo and Sting to Dr. Billy Taylor and Hank Jones).

Music Charge: $35 - Bar, $55 - Table

Monday, June 9

Jeff Lorber Fusion

Keyboardist/composer/producer Jeff Lorber, heralded as "one of the founding fathers of fusion" (Keyboard Magazine), will perform with his GRAMMY®-nominated power trio, the Jeff Lorber Fusion, featuring bassist/co-producer Jimmy Haslip and saxophonist Eric Marienthal. Since the late 1970s, this contemporary jazz collective has blended elements of jazz, funk, rock, R&B and world music into a distinctive sound that has connected with audiences from a variety of continents, cultures and generations. In more recent years, the group's studio efforts such as their 2010 release, Now Is the Time (2010) and Galaxy (2012), influenced by extensive touring throughout Europe and Asia, have been colored with vibrant shades of dance and house music. He appear in support of his latest Heads Up/Concord Music Group album titled Hacienda (released in August 2013).

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Tuesday - Wednesday, June 10-11

Lou Donaldson Quartet Featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith

NEA Jazz Master Lou Donaldson will perform at Blue Note for a two-night engagement featuring his working Quartet - with whom he has toured the world, playing festivals and clubs for over two decades. The saxophonist played an absolutely invaluable role in the creation and building of the classic Blue Note Record Label, as well as the assembly and musical development of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers bands that originally featured legends such as Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, Gene Ramey, and Hank Mobley, among others. As The Wall Street Journal wrote, "Few musicians today can claim to have changed the direction of jazz. Lou Donaldson did so twice." He appears at Blue Note with his longtime collaborator, organist Dr. Lonnie Smith.

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

EMERGING ARTIST SERIES/OPENER: Jake Sherman Organ Trio - Tuesday, June 10 Only - 6:30PM

Purchasing a ticket to Lou Donaldson Quartet feat. Dr. Lonnie Smith - June 10, 8:00PM set will allow access to the above opening act.

Thursday - Sunday, June 12-15

Ramsey Lewis Electric With Philip Bailey (of Earth, Wind & Fire)

Jazz icon/pianist Ramsey Lewis returns to Blue Note for a special engagement with his Electric Band and vocalist Philip Bailey, of Earth, Wind & Fire. Following his classic 1960s acoustic albums, Lewis began to collaborate with the enigmatic and iconic, Earth, Wind & Fire. Sun Goddess, the result of this creative summit, is an album with sleek grooves and gorgeous melodies that continues to flow with the upliftng and positive vibes of that time. The album reached across the musical rainbow and, rightfully so, it became a huge cross-over hit; charting #1 on the Billboard Black Albums chart as well as the Jazz album chart and it charted #12 in the Pop chart. At Blue Note, Lewis and Bailey will reunite to perform some of their top jazz and R&B classics.

Music Charge: $40 - Bar, $65 - Table

OPENING ACT: The Unforgettable Joe Alterman & James Cammack Duo - Thursday, June 12 Only - 6:30PM

Purchasing a ticket to Ramsey Lewis Electric With Philip Bailey - June 12, 8:00PM set will allow access to the above opening act.

Monday, June 16

Andy Bey Solo

Produced by Jill Newman Productions

Multi-GRAMMY® Award nominee, vocalist and pianist Andy Bey will make his second consecutive Blue Note Jazz Festival appearance (Jill Newman Productions). Bey is a true living legend, who has become an icon to a generation of vocalists, earning praise from singers such as Aretha Franklin and Diana Krall; John Coltrane even cited Bey as his favorite vocalist. Bey received a GRAMMY® Award nomination for his latest 2013 HighNote album, The World According to Andy Bey. In advance of Bey's sets at Blue Note last year, The New York Times wrote, "Missing them could be a bad idea."

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Tuesday - Sunday, June 17-22

Danilo Pérez - John Patitucci - Brian Blade: Children Of The Light Trio

In April 2013, JazzTimes wrote, "Over the past dozen years, saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter's quartet featuring pianist Danilo Pérez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade has become a paragon of jazz's exploratory spirit." At Blue Note Jazz Club, Perez, Patitucci and Blade will make their highly anticipated U.S. debut as a trio, with a project titled "Children of the Light" (a nod to their collective mentor, Wayne Shorter). Each band leaders in their own right, Perez performs in support of his latest Mack Avenue Records album release, Panama 500 (released February 4). Blade performs in support of his new Blue Note Records album with Fellowship, titled Landmarks.

Music Charge: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Monday - Tuesday, June 23-24

Michel Camilo Solo Piano

Music From Album What's Up?

GRAMMY®, Emmy®, and Latin GRAMMY® Award winning pianist and composer Michel Camilo returns to Blue Note for a special solo piano engagement, presenting the New York City premiere of music from What's Up?, his latest OKeh/Sony Masterworks release. The project spotlights a collection of original compositions, Latin and jazz standards. All Music Guide described the album as "a commanding performance by a truly masterful, wildly creative jazz pianist and composer." Camilo's musical language is an expressive combination of his Dominican Republic musical heritage and a rich, intelligent use of jazz harmonies and textures. He has collaborated with Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Paquito D'Rivera, Tito Puente, Herbie Hancock, Mongo Santamaria, Chucho Valdes, Jaco Pastorious, George Wein, Michel Petrucciani, Toots Thielemans, Michael Brecker, Eddie Palmieri, Esperanza Spalding, among countless others.

Music Charge: $30 - Bar, $45 - Table

Tuesday - Sunday, June 25-29

Hiromi: The Trio Project featuring Anthony Jackson & Simon Phillips

Alive - Album Release

Blue Note Jazz Club is proud to present pianist/keyboardist Hiromi: The Trio Project, featuring bassist Anthony Jackson (Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Michel Camilo, The O'Jays and Chick Corea)  and drummer Simon Phillips (Toto, The Who, Judas Priest, David Gilmour and Jack Bruce). The engagement will celebrate the release of her new recording, Alive (scheduled for June 17, 2014 release via Telarc/Concord Music Group). Hiromi's ninth album as a leader, Alive, heralds the return of the Trio Project, which DownBeat Magazine proclaimed as "one of the most exciting groups working in any genre today." Hiromi has been one of the most profound and prolific living forces in 21st century music. Mentored by the legendary Ahmad Jamal, the Japanese pianist/composer has created music that grows with every performance, moves easily beyond stylistic genres, exhibits an awareness of the entire jazz tradition and adapts to the contributions of her fellow bandmates.

Music Charge:

Tuesday - Thursday & Sunday: $20 - Bar, $35 - Table

Friday & Saturday: $30 - Bar, $45 - Table

Monday, June 30

Gato Barbieri

Latin jazz legend/world-renowned tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri returns to Blue Note Jazz Club for a special one-night appearance, marking his second consecutive Blue Note Jazz Festival appearance. Originally from from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Barbieri was an early exponent of John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, then blended his jazz influences with Latin American music, creating an explosive cross-genre form that became a forerunner of world music. He is well known for writing the music for Bernardo Bertolucci's film, Last Tango in Paris.

Music Charge: $30 - Bar, $45 - Table 

 

LATE NIGHT GROOVE SERIES

Blue Note Jazz Club proudly presents its Late Night Groove Series, which showcases New York's up-and-coming jazz, soul, hip-hop, R&B and funk artists. Shows are on Friday and Saturday nights.  Doors open at midnight and shows begin at 12:30AM. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 day-of-show, unless otherwise noted. The upcoming Blue Note Jazz Festival Late Night schedule features:

June 6 - Spiritchild & Mental Notes

June 7 - BIGYUKI (All tickets $15)

June 13 - Soul Understated feat. Mavis "Swan" Poole ($15 advance / $20 door)

June 14 - Lakecia Benjamin (All tickets $15)

June 20 - Vladimir Cetkar (All tickets $15)

June 21 - Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life (All tickets $15)

June 27 - Jeremiah Hosea

June 28 - Mark de Clive-Lowe's Church (All tickets $15)

SUNDAY BRUNCH SERIES

Sunday Brunch at Blue Note Jazz Club as part of the 2014 Blue Note Jazz Festival is $35.00 per person and includes a live performance, brunch and cocktail. Each performer is scheduled for two shows, at 11:30AM and 1:30PM. The upcoming schedule features:

June 1 -  Vivian Sessoms

June 8 - Eric Alexander & Harold Mabern Trio

June 15 -  Allan Harris

June 22 -  Fabian Almazan Trio feat. Camila Meza

June 29 - Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage 

SPECIAL EVENT

On Wednesday, June 11 at 4pm, Blue Note Jazz Club will host the 2014 Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Awards, where a who's who of the jazz world will be on hand as winners of the 2014 JJA Awards for Jazz Journalism and Media. Winners of 2014 awards for Music and Recording were announced on April 15. Newark Jazz Hero Cephas Bowles and New York Jazz Hero Meghan Stabile are also being honored at the party.  Josh Jackson, WBGO Jazz 88.3FM's VP of Content, will preside as MC and musical entertainment will include Elio Villafranca's Jass Syncopators (with Steve Turre, trombone; Vincent Herring, alto sax; Greg Tardy, tenor sax; Carlos Henriquez, bass; Lewis Nash, drums; percussionists and dancer), Sheila Jordan and Cameron Brown, and the Stephanie Richards Brass Ensemble. This is the 18th Annual JJA Jazz Awards presentation. Tickets can be purchase at: jazzjournalists.org. Space is limited.

  

Blue Note Jazz Club, based in the heart of Greenwich Village, is a New York City cultural institution and one of the premier jazz clubs in the world. Jazz is undoubtedly America's music, and while Blue Note strives to celebrate the music's great history, the club is a place where progression and innovation - the foundation of jazz - are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis. Blue Note is open for concerts 365 days a year.

  

www.bluenotejazz.com

SMOKEY ROBINSON TO RELEASE "SMOKEY & FRIENDS" DUET ALBUM DUE IN SEPT. ON VERVE LABEL

Legendary Motown icon and Grammy® award-winning singer-songwriter, Smokey Robinson is set to release his highly anticipated duets album, Smokey & Friends this September 2014 on Verve Records. Produced by American Idol star and record producer Randy Jackson, Robinson will be joined by an all-star roster of acclaimed artists including rock legends Elton John and James Taylor, with additional artists to be announced soon. 

Elton John and James Taylor will duet with Robinson on treasured singles originally released in 1965 and each having sold in the millions.  Elton John and Smokey Robinson will duet on "The Tracks of My Tears," one of the most celebrated songs of our time. The legendary track landed in Rolling Stone's Top 500 Songs of All Time and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame and into the Library of Congress.  "The Tracks of My Tears" ranked #5 among 10 Greatest Songs of All Time when voted on by a panel of songwriting experts which included Hal David, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson and Jerry Lieber. 

Elton John made a historic pronouncement about the song he sang on with Robinson, "I was lucky enough to pick 'Tracks Of My Tears' because I've always loved the song, probably one of the best lyrics of all time…just an amazing lyric. The greatest pop song ever written."

James Taylor and Smokey Robinson will duet on the Marvin Gaye classic "Ain't That Peculiar" which he composed and became one of Gaye's earliest signature hits. In fact it was Gaye's second consecutive Billboard #1 R&B Single and his second Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart.

Robinson said, "What a great honor and pleasure it is for me to record with my really good friends Elton John and James Taylor. They are both awesome artists and we had a great time in the studio."

Smokey & Friends will feature Robinson alongside a celebrated roster of contemporary and classic artists who will sing the best loved songs from Robinson's unmatched catalog of hits including those he has written for his solo career, his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, The Miracles, as well as hits he wrote for others, including Marvin Gaye and The Temptations.  Additional collaborations to be featured on the album will be announced soon.

Once pronounced by Bob Dylan as America's "greatest living poet," acclaimed singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson's career spans over four decades of hits. He has received numerous awards including two Grammy's, the Grammy Living Legend Award, NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award, Honorary Doctorate (Howard University), Kennedy Center Honors and the National Medal of Arts Award from the President of the United States. He has also been inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters' Hall of Fame.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Robinson founded The Miracles while still in high school. The group was Berry Gordy's first vocal group. Their single of Robinson's "Shop Around" became Motown's first #1 hit on the R&B singles chart. The Miracles dominated the R&B scene throughout the 1960's and early 70's. In addition to writing hits for The Miracles, Robinson wrote and produced hits for other Motown greats including The Temptations, Mary Wells, Brenda Holloway, Marvin Gaye and of course The Beatles.

During the course of his 50 plus year career in music, Robinson has accumulated more than 4,000 songs to his credit and continues to thrill sold-out audiences around the world with his high tenor voice, impeccable timing, and profound sense of lyric. Never resting on his laurels, Smokey Robinson remains a beloved icon in our musical heritage.

www.smokeyrobinson.com

https://www.facebook.com/thesmokeyrobinson

https://twitter.com/smokey_robinson

~ Verve Records

 

NEW RELEASES: ROY HAYNES / PHINEAS NEWBORN / PAUL CHAMBERS - WE THREE; DORE L.A. SOUL SIDES; KARL HECTOR & THE MALCOUNS - COOMASSI

ROY HAYNES / PHINEAS NEWBORN / PAUL CHAMBERS - WE THREE

A key outing from drummer Roy Haynes – a classic trio session that has a lot more energy than the usual set from the time – thanks to equal participation from Paul Chambers on bass and Phineas Newborn on piano! The unified approach hinted at in the title certainly comes through in the grooves – as Chambers bass works way more than rhythm here – and Haynes' drumming is lightly melodic on the best numbers, allowing Newborn to almost handle more of the pace of the tunes himself. Tracks are longish, and titles include "Reflection", "Sugar Ray", "Solitaire", "Our Delight", and "Sneakin Around". ~  Dusty Groove

DORE L.A. SOUL SIDES (VARIOUS ARTISTS)

A treasure trove of soul from the legendary LA indie label Dore Records – home to some of the finest 60s sides on the west coast – a top-shelf lineup that's never been represented this well! Dore had a few key groups at the time – a young Whispers, and the excellent Superbs – but also cut work by some other great artists too – all with a level of care and class to match the best soul sides coming from New York or Detroit at the time! The Dore approach manages to have a sparkle without losing any sort of edge – careful production and instrumentation, but a real respect for the voices in the lead, too. This style works especially well with groups – as you'll hear on the set – but also graces some great cuts by single singers, too – in a lineup that includes "Doctor Love" by The Whispers, "Where There's A Will There's A Way" by Eddie Kool, "Baby's Gone Away" by The Superbs, "Do It Right Now" by The Entertainers IV, "Your Ship Of Fools" by Ray Marchand, "My Lonely Feeling" by Milton James, "The Winds Kept Laughing" by Betty Turner & The Chevelles, "You Really Never Know Till It's Over" by The Vel-Vetts, "Gone With The Wind Is My Love" by Rita & The Tiaras, "Do The Skin" by Kenard Gardner, "Oh How I Love You" by Little Johnny Hamilton & The Creators, and "Hold Back The Dawn" by Frances Lark. ~ Dusty Groove

KARL HECTOR & THE MALCOUNS -COOMASSI EP

Funky African-inspired instrumentals from Karl Hector & The Malcouns – the third and purported final entry in their limited vinyl EP series – and they cover a pretty expansive range of madly percussive, heavily rhythmic territory! Each side has tracks that run the gamut from stripped down percussion, to horn-heavy jazz funk, to organ-drenched guitar psychedelia. They're such a tight, cohesive band, the material adheres brilliantly, even though each successive track bears the influences of different regions and recording eras. That shouldn't come as a surprise, given the players' histories in the diverse global funk underground of the past decade +, but it never ceases to blow our minds. Includes "Omebele (Reprise)", "The Cave", "Beyond Squares", "Chess Break", "Coomassi", "Irtijal", and "Medium Rare Pt 1". (Vinyl only release with hand silk screened cover by Anti Designs – limited to 1000 copies and Now Again promises it will not be repressed!!) ~ Dusty Groove

NEW RELEASES: THE JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH - IT'S JUST BEGUN / PHASE TWO; DJ ANDY SMITH'S JAM UPTWIST U.S.A.; RONNIE MATTHEWS WITH FREDDIE HUBBARD - DOIN' THE THANG!

THE JIMMY CASTOR BUNCH - IT'S JUST BEGUN /  PHASE TWO

A pair of classics from the Jimmy Castor Bunch – back to back on a single CD! It's Just Begun is wickedly fuzzy funk! Jimmy Castor recorded in a lot of different styles during the 70s – but the one he used on this album is still his best! The record's a non-stop guitar-heavy batch of classic funk tracks – and it features the storming break track "It's Just Begun", the funky goofy "Troglodyte", and plenty other nice moments like "Bad", "LTD", "I Promise To Remember", and "Psychee". Fuzzy guitar meets heavy drums meets some of the most insane lyrics ever on a mainstream funk album! One of our most requested records – and for good reason! Phase Two is probably Jimmy's second best album of the 70s – one with many of the same elements as his legendary It's Just Begun record! The band is grooving hard – with plenty of heavy conga, fuzzed out guitar, and trippy grooves that serve as a perfect foil for Jimmy's super-dope sense of humor. The record features a remake of Jimmy's earlier "Hey Leroy", still done with a Latiny groove, but also with many elements of "It's Just Begun" thrown into the funky mix. The album also features Jimmy's guitar-heavy "Tribute To Jim [Hendrix]", and "Luther The Anthropoid", which was a follow-up to "Troglodyte", with similar stoner caveman lyrics! Another tasty cut is "Party Life", a 7 minute Latin funk number with a very War-like groove! ~ Dusty Groove

DJ ANDY SMITH'S JAM UPTWIST U.S.A. FEATURING DEANO SOUNDS: R&B ROCKERS, ROCKABILLY, NORTHERN SOUL AND SLEAZY SHAKERS

A great US take on the Jam Up Twist sound of DJ Andy Smith – the groove he explored on a previous compilation in the UK – now served up here in a different lineup for the states! The music is a mad mix of R&B, jump blues, rockabilly, and other raw sounds from the tail end of the 50s – very much like the sort of territory that Keb Darge has explored on his excellent sets with Little Edith – and the kind of sounds that go way way beyond well-known hits from the period! Smith digs very deep in the crates, and gets some help with selections from Deano Sounds as well – on this smoking set that includes "Honey Child" by Johnny Williams, "What's My Chances" by Chuck Flamingo, "Thanks Mr Postman" by Bobby King, "Lonesome Shack" by Ernie Washington, "Doing All Right" by Eddie Cash, "Swingin & Surfin" by Les Brown Jr, "Ever Again" by Gene Woodbury, "High School Caesar" by Reggie Perkins, "Monkey's Uncle" by Ray Sharpe, and "Pack Shack & Stack" by Billy Nelson. ~ Dusty Groove

RONNIE MATTHEWS WITH FREDDIE HUBBARD - DOIN' THE THANG!

One of the only early albums as a leader from pianist Ronnie Mathews – a player who recorded more often in later years, but who really sounds incredible in this rare session for Prestige! Although a lyrical player at heart, Mathews also has a very hard edge here – more of a soul jazz groove than you'd hear on his later records, and a great example of the sound he was picking up from some of his key 60s work as a sideman. The group is great overall – with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Charles Davis on baritone sax – both players who bring a Blue Note-like sense of imagination to their solos here. The rest of the group features Eddie Kahn on bass and Albert Heath on drums – and titles include the killers "The Thang", "Ichi Ban", and "The Orient" – plus "Let's Get Down", "1239A", and "Prelude To A Kiss". ~ Dusty Groove 

DIONNE WARWICK SET TO RELEASE DUETS ALBUM "FEELS SO GOOD" FEAT. MULTI-GENRE COLLABORATORS

On July 1, 2014, Dionne Warwick, GRAMMY® hall of fame & multi-platinum recording artist, will release a star-studded duets album titled “Feels So Good.” The 14-track album, being released via the newly formed Bright Music Records (BMR) label in partnership with Caroline, features an anthology of Warwick classics written by Hal David & Burt Bachrach, each reborn as a duet but still encapsulated by its timeless allure. Also featured are four original new duets with some of music’s brightest stars. Joining Warwick on this multi-genre musical venture are artists who, like many of us, have been influenced by Warwick’s body of work throughout the years. Collaborators include Jamie Foxx, CeeLo Green, Gladys Knight, Billy Ray Cyrus, Eric Paslay, Cyndi Lauper, Mya, Ruben Studdard, Phil Driscoll, and Ziggy Marley, as well as Warwick’s granddaughter, Cheyenne Elliott, and son, David Elliott. R&B crooner Ne-Yo, will appear on the first track releasing off the album as he and Warwick take on her nostalgic “A House Is Not A Home.”

“I'm thrilled to release a new project with some of today's great singers and songwriters”

"I'm thrilled to release a new project with some of today's great singers and songwriters," says Warwick. "Throughout my career, I've always enjoyed creating music through collaboration and this experience has been no different. The fresh energy with these artists, producers and my new label Bright Music Records/Caroline is truly inspiring. My album will benefit Unite4good, a not-for-profit coalition, whose mission is to unite us all in bringing more good into the world."

Still consistently touring over 200 days a year, Warwick is one of the most decorated and successful recording artists of all time ranking among the top 40 hit makers from 1955-2012 based on the Billboard Charts. “Feels So Good” will be Warwick’s twenty-eighth full length album, having fifty-six singles reach the Billboard Hot 100, five GRAMMY Awards, three songs inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame and worldwide international success with millions of records sold. It is no wonder why she is the 2nd Most Charted Female Vocalist of All Time.

http://dionnewarwick.us/

HENRY BUTLER - STEVEN BERNSTEIN AND THE HOT 9 - VIPER'S DRAG - SET FOR RELEASE ON THE NEW IMPULSE! LABEL

Universal Music Group is reactivating the legendary jazz label impulse! with the release of Viper’s Drag, a retro-modern opus from Henry Butler-Steven Bernstein and the Hot 9 that is due out July 15 in the U.S. The new impulse!, which was reported yesterday in The New York Times, is a division of Universal Music France headquartered in Paris that will be distributed by Blue Note Records in the U.S. The label will focus on new releases from artists including Randy Weston, Kenny Barron, Jacky Terrasson, Ran Blake, Rodney Kendrick, Sullivan Fortner, Jean-Luc Ponty/Stanley Clarke/Biréli Lagrène, Madeleine Peyroux, and a previously-unreleased live duo album from Charlie Haden and Jim Hall recorded at the Montreal International Jazz Festival in 1990.

Founded in 1960 by Creed Taylor who was succeeded by Bob Thiele, impulse! quickly became the home of “The New Wave In Jazz” with landmark recordings from John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Duke Ellington, Sonny Rollins, Pharoah Sanders, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, and many more. After falling inactive in the late 1970s the label was revived in the late 1980s for releases from McCoy Tyner and Michael Brecker, as well as Henry Butler’s first two albums—Fivin’ Around and The Village—and later on Diana Krall and Alice Coltrane.

Viper’s Drag is the happy collision of two perfectly matched musical sensibilities—that of the New Orleans singer/pianist Henry Butler and trumpeter/arranger Steven Bernstein--two students of early jazz with decidedly modern voices. “Their collaboration is both historically aware and fully prepared to cut loose,” remarked The New York Times in an enthusiastic review of their recent New Year’s Eve performance at the Jazz Standard.

Blind since birth, Butler tells stories through the rise, swing, and rumble of his fingers as they channel sounds as diverse as his Louisiana birthplace: jazz, Caribbean, classical, pop, blues and R&B, among others. A giant among giants, he is a member of a special brotherhood that also includes Professor Longhair, James Booker and Allen Toussaint. His technical ability and expansive repertoire are legendary.

A veteran of New York City's downtown scene and a GRAMMY-winning arranger, Bernstein juggles a forward-looking perspective with a rooted sense of what’s come before. Known for his work with The Lounge Lizards and Sexmob, he’s also the leader of the Millennial Territory Orchestra, a nine-piece ensemble that draws tunes and inspiration from the dance orchestras that toured the U.S. before World War II.

Though historical explorers they may be; neither Butler nor Bernstein can avoid incorporating the most modern and freer edge of today’s jazz expression into their music. Each has found ways of balancing past and future in their respective musical signatures. “Steve’s got this modern touch in his playing and his arrangements, avant-garde and beyond,” says Butler. Bernstein laughs and shakes his head: “I call Henry a space-traveler/historian.”

The two first worked together in 1998 in the Kansas City All Stars, a touring big band led by Bernstein that came out of the Robert Altman film Kansas City. They reunited in 2011 to perform a special, one-off concert at a blues festival in New York City and the material they chose to do that day—the classic blues of Bessie Smith, the first-generation jazz of Jelly Roll Morton, and other similar tunes—resonated in a way neither had expected. “We’ll do something like this again,” Bernstein remembers them promising each other.

Butler and Bernstein reassembled in 2012 for an engagement at the Jazz Standard. “We had to get tunes together since we’d be doing two sets a night,” explains Butler. “Steven came over to my place and he’d propose a tune, we’d play it and I’d feed ideas to him—he calls them ‘Henryisms.’ Then he’d work them out for the whole band, play them back to me and I’d have to come up with some new ideas all over again. That’s how most of the arrangements came about.”

“We knew we had something special on the first set of the run,” recalls Bernstein. Veteran producer Joshua Feigenbaum was in the audience that night. He returned for most of their shows that week, convinced the group had to record. Both Butler and Bernstein refer to him as the third partner that made this album a reality. “This music is really the result of three perspectives,” says Bernstein. “The song choices came from Henry and myself and I did the arrangements, plus we used most of MTO’s frontline players. But the push to get this music recorded—and the idea for using an expert rhythm section like Reginald Veal and Herlin Riley—that’s Josh. He heard the value in this music and made this album happen.”

The music that Butler, Bernstein, and the Hot 9 have created together is filled with modern flavors, agile arrangements and a vitality that never allows the historical focus to limit itself to mere recreation. “We’re not trying to replicate New Orleans music or old-time blues,” says Bernstein. “We’re all musicians who have come out of other experiences, many of us in New York like working with Don Cherry and Wynton Marsalis and Lou Reed and Levon Helm. We’re taking that and then using the framework of Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller.”

“They were an ideal pairing,” concluded The New York Times in their review. “Mr. Bernstein and the Hot 9’s New York City erudition and gusto worked to compound Mr. Butler’s encyclopedic New Orleans flair. They are partway through recording an album together: a promising project, indeed.”

The tracklisting for Viper’s Drag is as follows:

1. Viper’s Drag (Fats Waller)

2. Dixie Walker (Henry Butler)

3. Buddy Bolden’s Blues (Jelly Roll Morton)

4. Henry’s Boogie (Butler)

5. Gimmie A Pigfoot (Wesley Wilson)

6. Wolverine Blues (Morton)

7. King Porter Stomp (Morton)

8. I Left My Baby (Andy Gibson)

9. Some Iko (Butler)

Henry Butler-Steven Bernstein and the Hot 9 – Summer 2014 Tour Dates:

June 11-12 – Yoshi's – San Francisco, CA

June 14 – Playboy Jazz Festival – Los Angeles, CA

June 26 – BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech – Brooklyn, NY

July 10 – Nice Jazz Festival – Nice, France

July 13 – North Sea Jazz Festival – Rotterdam, Netherlands

July 18 – New Mexico Jazz Festival – Santa Fe, NM

D’ANGELO:LIVE AT THE JAZZ CAFÉ, LONDON - THE COMPLETE SHOW

The first-ever full length presentation of a legendary live set from D'Angelo – recorded early in his career, and working through a host of classic tunes that really add in a nice layer to his own great music! D'Angelo's caught here in the legendary temple of groove – London's Jazz Cafe, home to some of the best funk and soul shows in Europe over the past few decades – and a perfect setting for the singer to really break past his more hitbound material, and relaxed in an old school format with a tight funky combo on the stage. Recording sessions for the album took place live at the Jazz Café in London, England, on September 14, 1995. Due to the folding of D'Angelo record label in 1998, Live at the Jazz Cafe had limited distribution and eventually remained out of print. The crowd is extremely enthusiastic, and the whole thing falls together beautifully – with a hard raw soul vibe that's similar to, but edgier than, D'Angelo's studio albums – much funkier overall, and more in a 70s soul mode. Instrumentation is very heavy on Fender Rhodes – and titles include "Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker", "Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine", "Brown Sugar", and "Cruisin" – plus great covers of 70s soul hits "Fencewalk", "Can't Hide Love" and "Sweet Sticky Thing". CD also features titles never issued before – including a 9 minute long take on "Lady", plus “Jonz In My Bones”, “I’m Glad You’re Mine. ~ Dusty Groove

BLUE NOTE RECORDS MARKS 75th ANNIVERSARY WITH GLOBAL LAUNCH OF DEDICATED BLUE NOTE DESTINATION ON iTUNES

In celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Blue Note Records, today sees the global launch of iTunes.com/BlueNote, an iTunes destination dedicated to serving as the premiere source for Blue Note music with exclusive offerings and the goal of making every Blue Note title available in one place. Over 100 Blue Note albums will be Mastered for iTunes, ensuring delivery of the music to listeners with increased audio fidelity, more closely replicating what the artists, recording engineers, and producers intended. iTunes Radio will also feature one of the first label branded radio stations with Blue Note Radio (iTunesRadio.com/BlueNote), a station that streams tracks spanning 75 years of The Finest In Jazz.

The Blue Note destination will highlight current and classic releases, including a monthly Artist Spotlight that begins today with a look at the landmark Blue Note recordings of the legendary keyboardist and composer Herbie Hancock, whose Blue Note catalog includes his debut album Takin’ Off which was recorded 1962, and comprises numerous classics such as My Point Of View, Empyrean Isles, Maiden Voyage, and Speak Like A Child.

Now Hear This: Blue Note Records, a monthly podcast from Don Was, will present the unique perspective of Blue Note’s President. “We are incredibly grateful to iTunes for the unique commitment they have made to the artists and music of Blue Note,” said Was. “The potential of a destination like of iTunes.com/BlueNote is profound and we expect this to have a global impact on the way fans discover, acquire and dig our music.”

New catalog releases featured today at iTunes.com/BlueNote include a 75-track anniversary collection titled Blue Note 75 that spans the label’s entire history as well as six exclusive introductory 10-track Blue Note 101 compilations. A series of Blue Note Select collections will also be featured beginning with Miles Davis’ Take Off: The Complete Blue Note Albums on May 19, and Clifford Brown’s Brownie Speaks: The Complete Blue Note Recordings, which will be released June 10.

Blue Note Radio—one of the first label branded stations on iTunes Radio—will stream tracks covering all 75 years of Blue Note Jazz from Thelonious Monk to Robert Glasper. The station will continually grow as new music is released, including recent albums from Ambrose Akinmusire (the imagined savior is far easier to paint), Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band (Landmarks), and Takuya Kuroda (Rising Son), as well as upcoming releases from Bobby Hutcherson/David Sanborn/Joey DeFrancesco, Joe Lovano/Dave Douglas, Jason Moran, Wayne Shorter, and more.

Blue Note Records was founded when a German immigrant named Alfred Lion produced his first recording session with two boogie woogie pianists on January 6, 1939 in New York City. Blue Note has gone on to represent The Finest In Jazz, tracing the entire history of the music from Boogie Woogie, Hot Jazz and Swing, through Bebop, Hard Bop, Post Bop, Soul Jazz, Avant-Garde, and Fusion, and into Jazz’s numerous modern day incarnations.

It took the joining of many natural forces to create and define one of the greatest Jazz labels there has ever been: Jazz-loving German immigrants on the run from Nazism (Lion & Francis Wolff), a New Jersey optometrist moonlighting as a recording engineer (Rudy Van Gelder), a classical music-loving commercial designer (Reid Miles), and slews of the most incredible musicians that have ever walked the earth. The elements that each brought to the table—impeccable A&R instincts, elegant and insightful photography, sterling sound quality, strikingly original cover artwork, and consistently transcendent music—were all essential to the label's early success. Together they created a vivid Blue Note identity. The whole could not have existed without each of the parts.

Blue Note’s legendary catalog includes a true Who’s Who of Jazz history: Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Jimmy Smith, Dexter Gordon, Grant Green, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Donald Byrd, Andrew Hill, Ornette Coleman, and many more.

After a brief dormancy from 1981-1984 during which producer/historian Michael Cuscuna kept the label’s legacy alive with a series of reissues on EMI, Blue Note returned reinvigorated by the leadership of Bruce Lundvall and has since established itself as the most respected Jazz label in the world. Blue Note is still home to some of the most prominent stars and cutting-edge innovators in Jazz today, and at the same time has broadened its horizons to include quality music in many genres.

Under Lundvall’s stewardship, Blue Note had its share of commercial successes from Bobby McFerrin, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Us3, Medeski Martin & Wood, Norah Jones, Al Green, Anita Baker, Amos Lee, Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis. The label also remained a haven for the most creative voices in Jazz including Ambrose Akinmusire, Patricia Barber, Brian Blade, Terence Blanchard, Don Byron, Kurt Elling, Robert Glasper, Stefon Harris, Charlie Hunter, Lionel Loueke, Joe Lovano, Jason Moran, Greg Osby, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, John Scofield, Jacky Terrasson, Chucho Valdes, and many more.

In 2011, veteran record producer and musician Don Was joined Blue Note as Chief Creative Officer and soon became President of the label with Lundvall continuing to provide guidance as Chairman Emeritus. With Was at the helm, Blue Note has renewed its dedication to Lion’s original vision that “any particular style of playing which represents an authentic way of musical feeling is genuine expression.” In the 21st century Lion’s words still ring true and provide a blueprint that includes Robert Glasper Experiment’s and José James’ visionary melding of Jazz, R&B, and Hip-Hop and Elvis Costello’s funky collaboration with The Roots, as well as bringing both the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson back to the label where they made their early classic albums, and continuing to sign singular voices in Jazz such as saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and vocalist Gregory Porter. Blue Note Records is one of the flagship labels of the Capitol Music Group. 

~ Blue Note